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Three Lessons from Bravo’s Real Housewives Franchise

You read that right. The campy reality series spotlighting appallingly petty, chichi women in wealthy cities—New York, Beverly Hills and Atlanta among them—can teach you a thing or two about engaging your target audience. Take a hint from the network’s gaggle of nitpicking socialites to refresh your company’s marketing campaign.

Brand Consistency
Kim Zolciak is the big-haired wino and LuAnn de Lesseps the persnickety countess. The biggest Housewives personalities are popular because they developed consistent identities that appeal to their target audience.

Customers won’t remember your business if you change your colors or rewrite your tagline as often as Kim changes her wig. Resist the urge to reinvent yourself when you’re itching for attention (although that’d be a very Housewife-y thing to do).

Everything associated with your company needs to relate back to a consistent theme so that your target audience remembers you. Create a compelling brand voice and identity then stick to it.

Socialize
Almost every Housewife markets herself on social media. Grown-up (well, technically) child actor Kyle Richards makes good on her promise to answer every tweet. Keep your social media campaign active by posting to Facebook at least twice per week and tweet even more often. Never let your company’s social media accounts go stagnant. People notice.

Make sure you’re only sharing relevant content, too. For example, Adrienne Maloof asks her mostly female Facebook fans which dress she should wear to her next black-tie event. Followers jump at the chance to dress her.

Not only do the Housewives maintain engaging social media accounts, they also promote their presence on talk shows and in videos posted on Bravo’s website. Follow their cue with promotions in your direct mail campaigns, on your business cards and in every email signature.

Blog, Then Blog Some More
Housewives use their blogs for shameless self-promotion, and it’s good for business. If your business decides to start a blog, prepare for a lot of writing. Like your social media accounts, you need to post regularly to be effective. Attract target audiences with catchy headlines and telling excerpts. Invite comments and reply to them. Reward readers by announcing discounts and specials on the blog.

There’s nothing to emulate about the way Housewives interact with each other. But branding and blogging like a Bravolebrity will attract major attention to your business.